The 194th Congress of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) – an Elective Congress – was held today in Kigali, Rwanda, during the first UCI Road World Championships organised on the African continent.
The UCI Congress brought together representatives of 117 UCI-member National Federations from five continents.
President of the International Federation since the UCI Congress in Bergen, Norway, held in September 2017, and re-elected in Leuven, Belgium, in September 2021, David Lappartient was re-elected for a third four-year term at the head of the institution. The only candidate for the Presidency, he was re-elected by acclamation.
The UCI Congress also elected the members of the new UCI Management Committee, who will sit on the Federation's executive for the next four years. The elected members are as follows (by Confederation, then in alphabetical order where applicable):
For the Confédération Africaine de Cyclisme (CAC)
Mr Khireddine Barbari (ALG)
For the Confederación Panamericana de Ciclismo (COPACI)
Mr Pierre Laflamme (CAN)
For the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC)
Mr Saif Subaa Al Rushaidi (OMA)
For the Union Européenne de Cyclisme (UEC)
Mr Michel Callot (FRA)
Mr Rocco Cattaneo (SUI)
Mr Henrik Jess Jensen (DEN)
Ms Agata Lang-Lelangue (POL)
Mr Emin Müftüoğlu (TUR)
Ms Katerina Nash (CZE)
Mr Tom Van Damme (BEL)
For the Oceania Cycling Confederation (OCC)
Ms Anne Gripper (AUS)
These 11 new members join the Presidents of the five Continental Confederations, elected at the beginning of the year, who all sit on the Management Committee ex officio (in alphabetical order):
Dr Yao Jean-Marie Allah-Kouamé (CIV), President of the Confédération Africaine de Cyclisme (CAC)
Mr Enrico Della Casa (ITA), President of the Union Européenne de Cyclisme (UEC)
Mr Amarjit Singh Gill Darshan Singh (MAS), President of the Asian Cycling Confederation (ACC)
Mr Tony Mitchell (NZL), President of the Oceania Cycling Confederation (OCC)
Mr José Manuel Pelaez (CUB), President of the Confederación Panamericana de Ciclismo (COPACI).
One seat on the Management Committee will remain vacant until the election of the new President of the UCI Athletes' Commission by its members, scheduled for 12 November 2025. The person holding this position automatically has a seat on the UCI Management Committee.
Moreover, former UCI Vice-President and UCI Management Committee member Dr Mohamed Wagih Azzam becomes Honorary UCI Vice-President in recognition of his services to cycling, not least as President of the Egyptian Cycling Federation and of the African Continental Confederation (2005-2025)
During a ceremony organised as part of the Congress, participants discovered the various UCI World Championships awarded for the 2026-2032 period by the International Federation's Management Committee at its recent meeting. In total, the names of the host cities for 13 UCI World Championships – in a total of 10 countries – were revealed:
2026 UCI Mountain Bike Eliminator World Championships: Barcelona (Spain)
2026 UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships: Derby (United Kingdom)
2028 UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships: Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
2028 UCI Track World Championships: Asuncion (Paraguay)
2029 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships: Province of Treviso (Italy)
2029 UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships: Brasilia (Brazil)
2029 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships: Nové Město (Czechia)
2029 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships: Mörbisch am See (Austria)
2030 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon World Championships: Selva Val Gardena (Italy)
2030 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships: Durango (USA)
2030 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships: Villars-sur-Ollon (Switzerland)
2031 UCI Cycling World Championships: Trentino (Italy)
2032 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships: Aalborg (Denmark).
The 2031 host of the UCI Cycling World Championships, Trentino (full name: Autonomous Province of Trento), is located in the Alps, in northeastern Italy. The province is a cycling hub in Italy: over the past 10 years, it has hosted multiple UCI International Calendar events, including UCI WorldTour and UCI Women's WorldTour events, the UCI World Championships for mountain bike (various specialities) and trials, and UCI World Cup rounds for several disciplines (mountain bike, trials, and cyclo-cross). Trentino will host the third edition of the UCI Cycling World Championships, an event that, every four years in the pre-Olympic year, brings together the UCI World Championships in numerous cycling disciplines. The first edition took place in Glasgow and across Scotland (United Kingdom) in 2023; the second will be held in Haute-Savoie (France) in 2027.
A new member joined the UCI at the institution's 2025 Congress, which voted in favour of affiliating the National Federation of the Kingdom of Tonga, in Oceania. The number of National Federations affiliated to the UCI now stands at 206. This number, rarely achieved in the world of sport, demonstrates the universality of the cycling movement.
The Congress also approved the 2024 UCI Annual Report, which includes the consolidated financial statements of the UCI and the UCI World Cycling Centre (WCC), the International Federation's coaching and education centre. The reserves of both entities at the end of 2024 amounted to more than 50 million Swiss francs. In accordance with the financial plan for an Olympic year, the annual result shows a significant surplus, which will enable the financing of activities for the 2025-2028 Olympic cycle.
The Congress also approved the UCI's 2026 budget, as well as an updated forecast for 2025. The projected reserves at the end of 2026 were also presented to Congress and are at an excellent level. The UCI has started the 2025-2028 Olympic cycle in a very strong financial position, enabling it to plan its activities for the development of cycling around the world with confidence, and also to anticipate the financing of strategic projects.
Finally, the Congress awarded the UCI Merit, a distinction that recognises individuals who have made a remarkable contribution to cycling, to the following people:
Mr Jorge Blas Diáz García (DOM), President of the Dominican Cycling Federation. He is a former cyclist, coach, official, and sports administrator who made a key contribution to the development of cycling in his country through his roles with the National Federation (Technical Director, member of the Management Committee, Secretary General then Vice-President) and as President of the Caribbean Cycling Union, as well as member of the Pan American Cycling Confederation’s Management Committee.
Ms Daniela Isetti (ITA), member of the UCI Management Committee, who is committed to promoting cycling for all, youth cycling, women’s cycling, and road safety. She has worked within the Italian Cycling Federation - where she was First Vice-President - and held several roles with the Italian National Olympic Committee and the UCI, not least as member of the UCI Cycling for All and Sustainability Commission.
Mr Raja Sapta Okthohari (INA), former President of the Indonesian Cycling Federation. He has worked to promote the development of cycling in his country and on the Asian continent. At the head of his National Federation, he improved the quality of athlete training and coach education, secured the inclusion of several events on the UCI International Calendar, and promoted cycling as a means of transport and a healthy leisure activity.
Ms Sandra Kinyomvyi (BDI), former Vice-President of the Burundi Cycling Federation. She has been very active in developing programmes for young riders, promoting women in cycling (in the sport and its governance), and encouraging initiatives for sustainable development, particularly in terms of infrastructure. She has contributed to the success of the Burundi International Women's Tour and is a member of the UCI Solidarity and Emerging Cycling Countries Commission.
Sir Mark Cavendish (GBR), one of the greatest sprinters in history, who has an exceptional record of 165 professional victories, including UCI World Champion titles on the track and road, an Olympic silver medal on the track and a record 35 stage victories in the Tour de France. Throughout his exemplary and inspiring career, he demonstrated talent, courage, resilience, and honesty.
Meeting in extraordinary session following the UCI Congress, the newly elected UCI Management Committee proceeded to elect the Federation's Vice-Presidents for the next four years.
In accordance with its Constitution, the UCI has at least one Vice-President of each gender among its four Vice-Presidents.
The elected Vice-Presidents are as follows:
Mr Enrico Della Casa (ITA)
Mr Amarjit Singh Gill Darshan Singh (MAS)
Ms Katerina Nash (CZE)
Mr José Manuel Pelaez (CUB).
Their term of office begins immediately and will end following the 2029 UCI Congress.
The Extraordinary Management Committee also co-opted two members to the UCI Management Committee:
Ms Yuan Yuan (CHN), who has been a coopted member since 2021, and is also Vice-President of the Asian Cycling Confederation
Ms Mariana Pajón (COL), who is multiple UCI World Champion and two-time Olympic Champion for BMX Racing.
The UCI Management Committee also confirmed Ms Amina Lanaya as Director General of the UCI.
At the end of the day, UCI President David Lappartient said: “We have had an incredibly constructive and positive day in Kigali. At the UCI Congress, we announced the hosts of UCI World Championships for several disciplines through to 2032, including the third edition of the multi-discipline UCI Cycling World Championships in Trentino, Italy, in 2031. After its first edition in Glasgow and across Scotland (United Kingdom) in 2023 and as we prepare for the second edition in Haute-Savoie, France, in 2027 we can already look forward to another incredible event in six years’ time.
“UCI Congress also saw the election of the members of the UCI Management Committee who will be key figures in the governance of cycling for the coming four years. I look forward to working with them for my third term as UCI President alongside the four UCI Vice-Presidents elected at the extraordinary session of the UCI Management Committee. Moreover, I sincerely thank the National Federations for putting their confidence in me with my election today through until 2029.”